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MABO Teachers Notes TEACHERS NOTES claim’s success. It also examines broader concepts Contents such as colonisation, land rights and native title— Introduction 1 in Australia and internationally—and looks at what Background information 2 happened in the past and what is happening now. Features and uses 4 Combining CD-ROMs with a website and online data- base, the project brings together a documentary video Designing a unit of work 5 with hundreds of specially created audio-visual Selecting a starting point 6 sequences and a wealth of text and images from Activity suggestions 6 primary and secondary sources. These teachers notes will help you explore the poten- tial of the materials. They provide summaries, set the Introduction resources within an educational framework, explain ‘Mabo is the name that’s identified with a legal some uses of the key tools and features, and suggest revolution in Australia. But Mabo was not just a court classroom activities. The materials cross disciplines case: Eddie Mabo was a man—an obstinate, difficult and can be used at different year levels. The variety of and passionate human being, who was consumed media makes it easier for different students to access with preserving the culture of a tiny island.’ the content. Trevor Graham, co-author/director of It’s assumed that you’ll pick and choose from the vast Mabo—The Native Title Revolution amount of material available, adapting for a year level, the needs of a particular group of students and your In 1992, the High Court of Australia put an end to the school in your part of Australia. legal fiction that Australia was empty before it was occupied by Europeans. It upheld the claim of Eddie Levels and audience ‘Koiki’ Mabo and his fellow plaintiffs that Murray Senior secondary, undergraduate and research at adult Islanders were the traditional owners of land on the levels island of Mer in the Torres Strait. Mabo—The Native Title Revolution delves into the Key learning areas Mabo legal case and the important issues it raises for Aboriginal Studies, Australian Studies, English, Australians and indigenous peoples everywhere. This Indigenous Studies, Studies of Society and multimedia resource gives an overview of the case and Environment, History, Legal Studies, Politics, provides an insight into Torres Strait Islander culture Information Technology, and multimedia across the and Eddie Mabo himself—both were crucial to the curriculum FILM AUSTRALIA • PAGE 1 MABO— THE NATIVE TITLE REVOLUTION • TEACHERS NOTES the Queensland Act in the High Court, arguing the law Background information is discriminatory. In 1788, the British claimed ownership of the entire • Meanwhile, no agreement is reached on the state- Australian continent. To the European mind, the indige- ment of facts so the High Court refers the matter to the nous people who had occupied Australia for many Supreme Court of Queensland in 1986. thousands of years were nomads, without property, • In 1987 Eddie Mabo and his colleagues agree that if social organisation or systems of laws. So the British their challenge to the Queensland Act fails, they will held that Australia was terra nullius, land belonging to also drop their land claim case. no-one. This included the islands of the Torres Strait. • In December 1988, the High Court finds in favour of In 1981, Eddie Mabo and other Torres Strait Islanders Mabo and rules that the Queensland Act is discrimina- decided to fight for their ancestral right to land on Mer, tory. This becomes known as Mabo no. 1. which the British had renamed Murray Island. They took the Australian government to court. The case • After a two year wait, the land claim case continues. became known as the Mabo case. In May 1989, the Supreme Court travels to the Torres Strait to hear more evidence. They argued for acknowledgment of ‘native title’ and the complex, customary patterns of land ownership, • In November 1990, the Supreme Court of inheritance and use that predated colonisation. Central Queensland hands its decision to the High Court of to the case was Malo, a Meriam god (represented as Australia. Justice Moynihan of the Supreme Court dis- an octopus) who gave the Islanders their laws. putes Eddie Mabo’s evidence, declaring that Eddie was not adopted by Benny and Maiga Mabo. When the court ruled in favour of the Murray Islanders Moynihan denied Mabo’s claims to land. in 1992, it recognised their equality before the law and the obligation for Australian law to respect Meriam law. • The legal issues raised by this process can be argued In doing so, it marked a new way for Australia to view in the High Court. Hearings begin in May 1991. its history and future. • On 21 January 1992, Eddie Mabo dies of cancer. • The High Court delivers its verdict on 3 June 1992 in Edward Koiki Mabo favour of Mabo and his fellow plaintiffs. This becomes • Born on Mer in the Torres Strait in 1936. known as Mabo no. 2. • Fifth child of Robert and Poipe Sambo. • This High Court ruling overturns the legal doctrine of • Adopted by his mother’s brother Benny Mabo and terra nullius and recognises that wife, Maiga after his mother’s death. —the community of Murray Island had a valid system • After leaving Mer at 16, he lived and worked in the of land ownership that predates white settlement Torres Strait, rural Queensland and Townsville. —Australia’s Indigenous peoples owned traditional • Inherited Mabo land, but his adoption and his right to land under native title the land would be disputed in the courts. —native title continues to the present day, unless • Became the leading plaintiff in the Mabo case. extinguished by the Crown —native title may be extinguished if the landholders The case lose all connection to their lands and cease to observe • At a land rights conference in Townsville in 1981, their traditional laws and customs. Eddie Mabo and other Murray Islanders decide to pur- sue their land claim. Who’s who? • Claim lodged in the High Court of Australia on 20 Here are some of the key names you’ll come across on May 1982. the CD-ROM. • Queensland Government responds with a legal chal- The Mabo case: lenge in the High Court. Eddie Mabo and the other plaintiffs, the legal team, supporters and family plaintiffs agree to prepare a ‘statement of facts’ on Melissa Castan—member of the Mabo legal team which the legal argument could proceed. Ron Castan—senior barrister representing Eddie Mabo • Queensland Government passes Queensland Coast and fellow plaintiffs in the Mabo case Islands Declaratory Act in 1985 which is designed to HC (Nugget) Coombs—Chair of Council for Aboriginal extinguish native title (if it is found to exist). Affairs 1967–76 and one of the original supporters of • Eddie Mabo and his colleagues launch a challenge to the Mabo claim FILM AUSTRALIA • PAGE 2 MABO— THE NATIVE TITLE REVOLUTION • TEACHERS NOTES Barbara Hocking— barrister representing Eddie Mabo Names of note and fellow plaintiffs in the early stages of the Mabo Walter Baldwin Spencer—Australian anthropologist, case noted for his work around the turn of the 20th century Bryan Keon-Cohen—barrister representing Eddie with the Aboriginal peoples of Central Australia Mabo and fellow plaintiffs in the Mabo case John Batman—colonial explorer who, in 1835, made a Robert Lehrer—member of the Mabo legal team treaty with a group of Aboriginal men on the site of Greg McIntyre—solicitor representing Eddie Mabo and what would later be Melbourne fellow plaintiffs in the Mabo case AC Haddon—anthropologist from Cambridge Sean McLaughlin—member of the Mabo legal team University, England who published a six-volume report on the Torres Strait Islands in the early 1900s. Flo Kennedy—an Islander advisor to the Mabo legal team Malcolm Fraser—prime minister of Australia 1975–83 Noel Loos—Eddie Mabo’s biographer and friend Robert Hawke—prime minister of Australia 1983–91 Benny and Maiga Mabo—Eddie Mabo’s adoptive par- John Howard—prime minister of Australia 1996– ents after the death of his mother. It was their land on Paul Keating—prime minister of Australia 1991–96 Mer that Eddie Mabo claimed. William McMahon—prime minister of Australia Bonita Mabo—wife of Eddie Mabo 1971–72 Mabo family—the children of Eddie and Bonita Mabo Professor Henry Reynolds—historian and author on are Eddie Jnr, Maria Jessie, Bethel, Gail, Mal, Malita, Indigenous issues Celuia, Mario, Wannee and Ezra Gough Whitlam—prime minister of Australia 1972–75 Eddie Mabo—leading plaintiff in the Mabo legal case Other cases Father Dave Passi—plaintiff in the Mabo legal case Gove—a land rights action by the Yolngu people of Sam Passi—witness in the Mabo legal case Yirrkala in 1971. It was the first case brought by James Rice—plaintiff in the Mabo legal case Aboriginal people that argued Indigenous Australians Celuia Salee—original plaintiff in the Mabo legal case should be accepted in Australian law as the rightful owners of their traditional country. It was unsuccessful. Robert and Poipe Sambo—parents of Eddie Mabo Wik—the first native title judgment delivered by the Dr Nonie Sharp—anthropologist, one of the original High Court for mainland Australia. supporters of the Mabo claim and an adviser to the Mabo legal team The judges Justice Brennan— High Court Justice Eddie Mabo Justice Blackburn—Northern Territory Supreme Court judge, ruled on the Gove case Justice Dawson—High Court Justice, wrote the only opposing judgment in Mabo no. 2 Justice Deane— High Court Justice Justice Gaudron— High Court Justice Justice Gibbs—Chief Justice of the High Court when Mabo commenced Justice McHugh— High Court Justice Justice Mason—Chief Justice of the High Court during Mabo no.2 and from 1987 in Mabo no.1 Justice Moynihan—heads the Supreme Court of Queensland hearing into the Mabo legal case to estab- lish the facts of the case Justice Toohey— High Court Justice Justice Woodward— High Court Justice Photo: Jim McEwan, The Age FILM AUSTRALIA • PAGE 3 MABO— THE NATIVE TITLE REVOLUTION • TEACHERS NOTES Malo, the agud or mythical god who came to Mer The significance of Malo (pronounced Mare), is represented by the octopus.
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